Stolen
by Otaku of the Century
Summary: Crow, Snake, Fox: The most hated animals of mankind. They steal, escape, and trick so they could survive and get the answers that they need. Revenge and Justice is what they strive for. And good old Frankenstein is going to help them even if they are the last things he wants in his life. Rai doesn't seem to mind, thankfully. M-21/OC, Tao/OC, Regis/OC
1. Peace

Hiya! This is my first Noblesse story so I hope I'll do well and write a good one!

So...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Noblesse or it's characters, only Crow, Min-suh, and Seri

Now that's made clear...

Enjoy!

* * *

Stolen

Chapter 1: Peace

_When I opened my eyes for the first time, I was in a world of green colored water and clear, plastic tubes. I could breathe normally because of the tubes but the water gave me a hazy view of what was outside the glass. People were outside._

_People with white coats_

_Questions immediately filed into my head._

_Where am I?_

_Why am I here?_

_How long was I here?_

_But one question remained in my mind and sent me into a state of unease._

_**Who am I?**_

* * *

"Crow! Oi, Crow! Snap out of it!" A well-aimed eraser hit 'Crow' on the head, snapping her out of her reverie. She blinked before looking up to face her impatient friend. "…Yes?"

'Crow' was a raven-haired woman with olive skin and blue eyes who was already in her mid-twenties. Well, she couldn't really be sure if that was truly her age. Or her race. Or her name. It was all a guess. She could be younger or older than that but she didn't remember. Her short and abrupt speech and her dark choice of clothing intimidated many people so she preferred staying inside until it was dark. She was currently wearing a comfortable, black t-shirt that was long enough to cover her dark purple shorts that she was wearing underneath. A cute chibi panda bear was printed on the front.

Her friend rolled her eyes and made an aggravated grunt before crossing her arms. "You weren't listening to me at all, were you?"

"No." 'Crow' told her honestly.

"We're going to Korea." Crow's friend told her while smirking wickedly. "I got you and Snake a good job at a fancy school there."

'Snake', who was reading a rather thick-looking book, looked up and made a look. "Why? It's not like I'm unemployed. And stop calling me by that ridiculous nickname already, Azrael Serena L-" Azrael Serena or just "Seri" slapped a hand over Snake's mouth. "SHHH! It's 'Fox', remember?"

Seri was the 'youngest' of the group if you want to put it in appearance wise. If not, she would be considered the oldest. She's about 156 years old but she technically looked like a Middle School student if not a _very_ short High School one. Seri had this habit of wearing clothing that looked like it came from a school genre manga. She was an avid fan of those Japanese comics and was not shy to admit it. In school, she was frequently picked on for her pigtailed white hair and eerie red eyes.

Was she an albino? No.

Was she human? Not quite.

Snake pried her friend's hand off of her mouth in annoyance before resuming. "As I was saying, it's not like we're bring watched."

Seri made a loud shushing noise. "You don't _know_ that. Humans are so sneaky these days. You have no idea what they have in mind for you."

"One, I _would_ know that. I'm a genius in technology. My homemade sensors would've picked up and disable any cameras within this room so don't worry about that. And two, I'm one of those 'sneaky humans'." 'Snake' told Seri flatly. "Now would you_ please_ explain why we should suddenly move to a small, Asian peninsula?"

"_They_ caught our trail. If we don't move soon, _they _might catch us this time." Seri told the other two seriously. A cold silence fell in the room.

Crow broke the silence with a calm "Why now?"

"I agree with Crow. I thought that they gave up on finding us two years ago." Snake said in an irate tone. The book that she was reading crumpled up in her shaking hands. "And we were beginning to have a normal life too!"

Seri shrugged. "I guess they went back into the chase."

"Gah! And I was beginning to enjoy peaceful life without them at our tails." Snake said bitterly. Seri raised her eyebrows. "I thought you would be thrilled to go back to your home country, Min-suh."

"I'm not." Min-suh stated glumly.

Seri pouted. "But I thought you had a family there!"

"I do."

"Then why aren't you happy?" Seri asked and crossed her arms.

"Because of my family." Min-suh explained while pinching her nose. "I don't want them to get involved with the trouble that I'll bring when I visit. That's why…"

Seri's pout was replaced with a guilty look. "Oh, I didn't think about that."

"As if that didn't happen before." Min-suh stated. Seri's eyes flashed in anger. "Hey! I chose Korea for _you_! We're going! I had to _beg_ an old friend to make room for you in his school."

"Well, _beg_ him to drop the offer. I'm not going."

Min-suh was half Korean and half American but she sure didn't look it at the first glance. Her hair was a fine shade of light brown and her green eyes complemented them perfectly, framed with glasses. If a person bothered to look closer, they would notice that she had little hints of Asian traits on her face. Her features looked sharp and intelligent. One would expect that she had a job that involved with technology because of her talent but she was a doctor. She was only twenty-three years old, almost twenty-four which made Crow the oldest.

Maybe, if her age was what they guessed.

Crow seemed to be thinking deeply before she spoke up. "I think we should go to Korea."

Both Min-suh and Seri looked up in surprise at the length of Crow's speech. It was rare for her to say more than two words. The two shared a look. Min-suh looked back at Crow. "Why do you want to go there, Crow?"

"…A feeling." Crow switched right back to her normal way of speech.

Seri grinned. "Oh well, I guess when Crow says it like that, it's final! We're going to Korea!" She cheered.

Min-suh rolled her eyes but smiled a little. "Fine. You two win."

"Yay!" Seri cheered even more. "I'm going to pack everything for you two! Thanks so much! I can't wait to wear the uniforms there and eat ramen!"

"So," Min-suh began after Seri calmed down, "who is your old friend, exactly?"

Seri grinned. "You two are very lucky, Min-suh, Crow. He may be the most sneakiest, vain, sadistic bastard alive, but he's a trustworthy man who keeps his word. Especially when he owes a favor. Oh," After a moment of thinking, Seri added, "and he doesn't really like me very much."

"And that's supposed to not make us worry how?" Min-suh asked.

"Coincidentally, he's your old high school headmaster of Ye Ran High."

Min-suh blinked in surprise. "Is he even aware of our situation and who we are?"

"Very much so. He's not who you think he is, Min-suh." Seri told her. Min-suh shook her head in disbelief. "Are you sure you're talking about the right person? He's Principal Lee, an intelligent and well-respected man."

"I prefer calling him Frankenstein, a nosey, way-too-smart pain in the ass."

* * *

Somewhere back in Korea, a certain blonde headmaster sneezed.

"Headmaster Lee, are you all right? You're not catching a cold, are you?" Yuna asked worriedly from her place in a hospital bed. "We don't need another person in the hospital."

Rai looked at him with faint concern from where he stood.

_Why of all times did I have to make a fool of myself?_ Frankenstein moaned in his mind.

Frankenstein feigned a smile. "No need to worry." Then, he turned to Shinwoo to change the subject about his accidental sneeze. "You did a wonderful deed, Shinwoo. Jumping in front of the car just like that in front of your friends. There aren't a lot of people who is brave enough to do what you did."

Shinwoo scratched the back of his neck. "Aw, really. When you say that it's a bit embarrassing."

"On a more brighter note, it seems that your cousin will be moving back to Korea, Ik-han, and she will be bringing her friends." Frankenstein told the short, nerdy boy. "Really? She's coming?"

"I can't wait to see _Unni_ again! It's been a while since she last contacted us." Yuna said excitedly. Shinwoo nodded in agreement. "_Noona_ always makes the best dinners! I hope she cooks for us when she returns!"

Ik-han grinned from ear to ear. "I'm glad that she's coming back home. But why did she contact you before telling Uncle?"

"She wanted it to be a surprise for him. As for contacting me first, she is going to be a teacher in Ye Ran High."

Frankenstein mentally winced when he said this. Yes, Min-suh was a student that he was very fond of because of her intellect and wit. He would've accepted her as a teacher without a problem if it were her asking. But that wasn't the fact.

He _wasn't _pleased that he had to take in a complete stranger who could be a potential threat to his clean house for all he knew and certain **brat** who he owed.

He refrained from making a frown and smiled pleasantly at his 'beloved' students.

Rai suddenly turned and began to walk away from his classmates. Frankenstein and M-21 followed him out.

"Aw, you're going already? Come again tomorrow. We'll be waiting!" Shinwoo called out after them.

But there were other trivial things at hand. It was better just to push away the future problems and focus at the one present.

* * *

**Have you ever heard about the three greatest thieves?**

**There is Snake, who worms into even the tightest security and knows all.**

**There is Fox, who wears many different faces and fools people into trusting her.**

**Then…**

**There is Crow, who is aided by the shadows and snatches away a person's senses.**

_**Once she cries, it's instant death for all her foes.**_

* * *

Whew! First chapter finished!

Hope that this is liked! Hope that the _characters_ are liked!

Thank you for reading this and please

REVIEW~


	2. Mask

Stolen

Chapter 2: Mask

_How many days had passed since I opened my eyes?_

_Years?_

_I didn't know. Time seemed pointless in my little glass world. Occasionally, I would see other living beings walking past me. Who were they? That didn't seem to matter anymore. They never bothered to talk to me._

_I was alone._

_I wondered if there were others like me._

_Others beyond my glass world_

* * *

Crow raised her brow after Seri finished fashioning the strange, ninja-looking mask on her. "There! All done, Crow! You look pretty mysterious! In this way, there is no way that strange men would bother us because of your pretty face."

"Seri…" Min-suh growled while covering her face in one hand in embarrassment. "Why is this necessary? Couldn't we wait until we're _out_ of the airport? People are staring at us."

Seri rolled her eyes. "Psh. Stop being such a wet blanket. She looks perfect. And the mask covers her neck too. It's too warm in this weather to be wearing a turtleneck so this should do in covering that nasty scar on her neck. She's self conscious of it, you know."

"Did you even _buy_ the mask?"

"…Maybe~"

Min-suh slapped her forehead. Great. They just came to Korea and Seri was already taking things without buying them. Ahem, "borrowed" them.

"Crow? Are you going to wear that all around Korea?"

Crow glanced at her reflection in a nearby glass. It was a bit transparent, but she could see the effect the mask made on her face. The mask also looked as if it was connected to her short-sleeved, black shirt. If she were wearing black pants instead of the jeans she was currently wearing, she would've looked like some thief. She pulled her hair back and tied it up before looking again.

She liked it.

Crow nodded.

Seri squealed in glee. "This is perfect! I knew that a Kakashi-styled mask would suit you perfectly, Crow."

"…Kakashi?" Crow asked. In Japanese, that name meant 'Scarecrow'. The irony made her smile a little. This 'Kakashi' was probably a character in those manga series that Seri read frequently.

"Yeah! You know, from _Naruto_!"

No, she didn't know. But, to satisfy the childish girl, she nodded as if she understood. Min-suh shook her head in despair. "You do know that this will attract _more_ attention than preventing it?"

"So what? We can always beat them up if they try anything funny."

"True…"

"NOONA!" Min-suh was suddenly attacked with hugs from a certain duo. She was thrown back and all four ended up in a pile. Seri crossed her arms. "Oh. _Now_ who's making a scene, huh?"

"Guys! You shouldn't attack Unni like that just when she got home!" Yuna scolded the two boys but they didn't care. Min-suh playfully pushed Shinwoo away. "Got off you big oaf. You got a lot heavier since I left."

Shinwoo pouted and then grinned when she messed up his hair fondly and got off of her.

Ik-han bawled into Min-suh's shirt, making it all wet with the amount of tears that fell from his eyes. Min-suh would usually throw a fit when her clothes got all messed up but she didn't care at the moment. She wrapped her arms around her cousin and hugged him tightly. "Shhh, what did I tell you about crying, Ik-han?"

"T-That boys sh-shouldn't cry. It m-makes them look we-weak, like a g-girl." Ik-han stuttered helplessly while trying to wipe the tears from his face. Seri delicately plucked the glasses from his face and began cleaning them with her shirt. "Your cousin is a cute one, Min-suh. Why didn't we visit Korea sooner?"

Ik-han stared at Seri. Although he didn't have glasses on, he could see Seri's appearance. He blushed furiously when she put his glasses back onto their usual perch. She smiled kindly at him and offered her hand. "Hi, my name is Azrael Serena Lo…Loshire. It's a pleasure to meet you, Woo Ik-han."

"Y-You know my name?" _His stuttering isn't from crying now at least,_ Min-suh thought in amusement. It was quite obvious that the bespectacled boy was quickly forming a crush on the albino. The woman's smile turned into a disapproving frown when she realized that he liked Seri of all people. "Of course, Min-suh told me so much about you, Shinwoo, and Yuna. Oops," she covered her mouth with mock horror. "I was supposed to call her _Unni_, wasn't I?"

"Yes Seri, yes you were." Min-suh sighed.

An outstretched hand came into Min-suh's line of sight. She looked up and her lips twitched upwards into a small smile before it disappeared all together. She took the hand graciously. "Thank you, Headmaster Lee. Long time no see. You haven't aged a bit since I left."

Frankenstein smiled politely. "Thank you, Min-suh. It's delightful to see you again."

Min-suh noticed the unfamiliar student beside him and nodded in greeting. "Nice to meet you. You must be Cadis Etrama Di Raziel." She said in a perfect accent. Frankenstein looked at her in faint surprise and it was genuine. Min-suh laughed a little at his expression. "I do my homework, _Frankenstein_. Seri told me _everything_." She told him in fluent German.

Frankenstein immediately switched off to the language she was speaking. "So you're aware of the current situation?"

"Very much so."

"I've heard about your…transformation."

"Is it really that surprising? I thought Seri told you everything."

Frankenstein nodded. "Yes, but the way you gained your abilities are…peculiar."

"Does that really matter? It's not like I'm completely _human_ anymore, no matter how I gained the abilities, am I?" She asked dryly. Frankenstein smirked a little at that. "No, you're not."

Crow quietly stood back from the happy reunion in silence. She leaned back against the wall and just…watched. She wasn't one to be amiable toward strangers like Seri.

"Hi!" Crow looked up, a bit startled. The brown haired girl (Yuna, was it?) was right in front of her with a bright, warm smile. "It's nice to meet you! My name is Yuna! What's your name?"

"…Crow." Her voice sounded slightly melodic, with the exception of a few cracks at the end. Yuna wondered if this mysterious woman was some singer or celebrity. _Is that why she's wearing a mask?_

"Oh. That's a pretty interesting name! How old are you?"

"…Twenty five." Crow lied.

"That makes you my Unni, huh?"

"…Yeah."

Yuna blinked in surprise at the abruptness of the stranger. Seri swooped in just in time before any misunderstandings occurred. "Yuna, right? I guess you got acquainted to Crow. She can't speak that much because of an accident that ruined her voice. It hurts her throat when she speaks so excuse her if she seems like she doesn't want to have a conversation. She actually enjoys it when people talk to her."

Crow resisted from touching her throat. It was a habit that she created ever since she got the injury. Min-suh did as best as she could to fix it. Crow was at least thankful that she could use her voice even a little bit.

"That makes sense." Yuna said, relieved that the stranger didn't mean any offense. "I'll try to ask yes or no questions from now on then, Miss Crow."

"That's fine." Crow attempted to assure the girl with her limited words. At that moment, Shinwoo shoved his face in front of hers. "What's with the mask, huh _Ajumma_?"

Ik-han jabbed his friend roughly at the side. "Don't call her that! She's not** that** old, you know! She said she's only twenty five!"

Shinwoo sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh. Sorry Miss."

"…Don't mind." Crow assured them.

Ik-han blinked in surprise. Usually, women in their twenties or younger would throw a fit if they were called 'Ajumma'. That honorific was reserved for the women in their late thirties or older.

Seri smiled proudly when Shinwoo brought up the mask. "Do you like the mask? I put it on Crow after we got off the plane."

"Why does she need to wear a mask?" Ik-han questioned curiously.

Min-suh finished her German conversation with her old headmaster and answered for him. "She's a bit self-conscious of her scars so she covers up her neck. We would usually use a turtleneck but the weather right now is a bit too warm for that. Seri just happened to have that ridiculous mask."

"Like…it." Crow insisted.

"I think it looks cool, Miss!" Shinwoo claimed with a thumbs up and the others (aside from Rai and a certain silver haired loner) agreed.

Crow smiled a little but she doubted that they could see it with her mask in the way. She glanced at the last person that neither of the trio had been introduced to. He, like her, was leaning against the wall with arms crossed. He wasn't really paying any attention to what was happening. He kept a good distance away from the group as if he didn't belong.

His silver hair reached to about his chin and a bang covered his right eye. Crow was suddenly reminded of a wolf when she looked at him. She couldn't put her finger on it, but he brought memories of the time Seri dragged her into a zoo and showed her the wolves. The cautious eyes of the wolves when they stared at her wearily behind the glass was eerily similar to the stranger's silver eyes when they looked at her and her friends.

Crow was then struck with a feeling as if she met this man before.

But…

That couldn't be possible. She had no memory of meeting this man. She didn't even know his name!

Seri followed Crow's gaze and caught sight of the man. "Hey Crow, he's good-looking for a guy, isn't he? Want me to bring him over?"

Crow blushed furiously at what Seri was implying. That was not what she was thinking! But, alas, she couldn't say all of that with her limited speech so she shook her head simply.

Seri, misunderstanding Crow's refusal to the idea as embarrassment, winked at her and bounced over to him. "Hi! Name's Seri! What'cha doing standing here all by your lonesome?" The man blinked in surprise at Seri's sudden appearance. She took his hand and "lightly" tugged him toward the group. "Join us!"

The man let out a small sound of surprise as Seri easily dragged him toward the group as if he wasn't resisting. The group immediately accepted him into their conversation.

Min-suh tensed up for a brief second when the stranger appeared in her line of sight before composing herself. "And who is this man?"

"_Ajusshi _here is going to be the school's bodyguard when we get back." Shinwoo explained while pointing to the awkward man after telling Min-suh about the murder incident.

It wasn't surprising that she was alarmed and immediately concerned when she heard about this but was calmed down when Ik-han assured her that the culprit committed suicide.

"We took care of everything." Frankenstein assured her in German. "And don't worry about the fellow over there, he won't harm the children."

Min-suh internally relaxed at this piece of information.

That man wouldn't hurt the children.

That was enough for her.

Min-suh turned and smiled at the bodyguard warmly. "Thank you very much for taking the duty of looking after the children, Mr. Bodyguard. They mean very much to me."

Shinwoo, Ik-han, and Yuna looked moved by Min-suh's apparent gratitude to the silver-haired man and he himself was a little surprised by her sudden mood change toward him.

"Noona…"

"Unni…"

Seri broke the sentimental moment mercilessly. "Crow is going to be a bodyguard of the school too! Isn't that great? She might look like a normal girl, but she's pretty dangerous when someone tries to pick on Min-suh or me!"

_What is she talking about? Looking normal? She's wearing a __**mask**__!_ Everyone thought simultaneously but coughed instead of speaking aloud.

"That's great, Ajumma! I think I feel safer already!" Shinwoo said with a supporting smile.

"Please look after us, Miss Crow." Ik-han said.

"We're happy to have you." Yuna told her.

While the kids surrounded Crow, M-21 escaped from Seri's surprisingly strong grasp and walked back to his corner. He then looked at the strange trio with suspicious eyes.

It didn't escape M-21 that the girl who called herself Seri was abnormally strong for a young human her age.

Min-suh _smelled_ normal but there was just something _off_ about her.

And that masked woman…

He felt that she was the most suspicious out of the whole bunch. Why would she be wearing a mask? M-21 had a feeling that she was lying about her scars.

M-21 flinched when the woman named "Crow" took her hand out of her pocket. She held it out and waited patiently as he looked at her cautiously. There was something in her hand.

_What is that thing? A bomb? Did she know about my suspicions and plan to silence me already? _ M-21 panicked internally.

"…Candy." Crow told him simply.

"…_!?"_

Seri smiled proudly at Crow.

Min-suh, in the other hand, slapped her forehead.

"Crow...it's great that you're trying to be friendly to your future job-partner, but he's not like those five-year-old children back at home."

* * *

Finished! Hopefully I made the characters more likable in this chapter.

Suggestions and Criticism are welcome!

REVIEW!


	3. Comfort

Okay! I'm back and I'm alive! School and other projects kept me busy so I thank you for your patience! (Bows)

Here's the next chapter! (Yay!)

Enjoy!

* * *

Stolen

Chapter 3: Comfort

"_Now M-21, I want you to treat them kindly and trust them. I know they may seem a bit…off, but they mean well. Except for the brat. You can treat the brat whatever you like and mistrust her however you like."_

**That request is impossible!**

M-21 shifted uncomfortably under Min-suh's critical gaze as she stopped in front of him and Crow on their first day on the job. Crow was as silent as usual and she didn't seem bothered by Min-suh's presence. Min-suh was dressed appropriately as a teacher would and walked with confidence and familiarity when she passed the school gates.

He stiffened a little when she walked in front of him. _What was she going to do to him?_

Min-suh reached out for his neck and…

Adjusted his tie.

"You never put a tie on before, did you? How hopeless." Min-suh asked while smoothing out his suit. "There. Now you look ready to take on the world." She shifted her attention to Crow. "Must you wear that mask? You're going to scare the children." Crow made small hand movements. "What? They think it's COOL? I completely doubt that. You look like some thief! Oh dear, your suit is uneven. That won't do. At least you put on your tie correctly, thank goodness."

Crow stood patiently as Min-suh fussed over her. She was wearing a black suit very similar to M-21's, aside from the fact that it was fashioned to show her feminine features in Seri's orders.

M-21 sweatdropped at Min-suh's fussing. Was this…normal?

"Noona! Good morning!" Ik-han greeted cheerfully while being flanked by Shinwoo, Yuna, Seri and Rai. "Ah! It's Ajusshi and Ajumma!" Shinwoo greeted cheerfully only to be jabbed by Ik-han. "That's rude, Shinwoo!"

"What? She said she didn't mind. Right Noona?" Shinwoo asked Min-suh.

Min-suh gave him a firm look. "It's Seonsaeng-nim here, Shinwoo. And if you walk any slower, you'll be late for class." She told him blandly.

"O-Of course Noona-err, Seonsaeng-nim!" Ik-han stuttered, a little unfamiliar with her professional tone. Min-suh's features softened a little. "Don't worry, Ik-han. I was only talking to Shinwoo. I already know that the rest of you wouldn't forget to address me formally on school grounds. Shinwoo on the other hand…"

"HEY!"

Min-suh clicked her tongue and pretended to be offended. "What was that, Han Shinwoo?"

"N-Nothing, Woo Seonsaeng-nim!" Shinwoo stuttered out in fear.

Because her father and Ik-han's father were brothers, both shared the same last name. Despite that, Min-suh disliked how her surname sounded back in America and was rarely called by it. Hearing it now somehow reminded her how much she missed Korea.

Seri distantly wondered what being in a Korean school would be like. The uniforms here were pretty nice, she had to give Frankenstein that.

The rest of the group walked ahead but Seri stayed back.

She looked at M-21's appearance before boldly skipping out to him and ripping his tie off of him. Min-suh made a sound of protest but didn't do anything else. Seri smiled at a very surprised M-21. "That tie looks like it's going to choke you any second there, _Ajusshi_. You look a lot better without it. Besides, you don't look comfortable when you're _collared_." She told him simply.

She winked at him and ran off to catch up with her friends.

M-21 sent Min-suh a quizzical look at Min-suh but she only shrugged and walked on ahead, leaving him alone with Crow once again.

"…"

"…"

It was okay if he didn't try to start up a conversation with this one, right? M-21 kept his eyes ahead, afraid that making eye contact with Crow. Her silence intimidated him.

M-21 narrowed his eyes and thought back of what happened the night before.

* * *

(The night before)

"Make yourselves at home, you two." Frankenstein said with forced cheerfulness. Seri, Crow, and Rai sat on the couch with small snacks in front of them. Seri smirked a little and 'accidentally' spilled little crumbs onto the table. Frankenstein flinched at that. The other students went back home and Min-suh left with Ik-han to surprise her father.

Frankenstein _really _wished that she were here to control the brat.

Crow, sensing Frankenstein's discomfort, wetted her napkin with the water in her cup and wiped the crumbs away, making Seri pout. "Behave."

"Aw phooey! Both you and Min-suh are no fun!"

That masked girl suddenly became Frankenstein's favorite.

"So," Seri said while sitting back into the couch casually, "Now that the kids are gone, what do you want to ask us?" She asked, directing her question to M-21. "And I didn't get your name."

M-21 resisted from snarling at her disrespect. "Why should I tell you?"

"He doesn't have a name." Frankenstein interrupted. "He's a Modified Human who doesn't remember his past."

"Ah." Seri's eyes were suddenly filled with understanding. Crow stiffened up beside her. "So you're not human either, I suspected as much. I guess that means that I can completely open up to you. Ask any question you want, Modified Human."

"**Don't** call me that." M-21 growled. Seri slurped her tea noisily just to annoy M-21. "Then what else should I call you if you don't give me a name, hmm?"

"…M-21." He said finally. "That was the code name I was given."

"M-21, huh?" Seri mused. "So you must be a survivor of the M-series that Dr. Crombel created."

M-21 gave Seri a surprised look. "How do you know about Dr. Crombel?"

"Lets just say that he messed with me and Min-suh in the past. And when someone messes with Min-suh, **no** information escapes her. She'll find out their most guarded secrets and information in seconds." _If they're placed in some sort of technology._ Seri added to herself.

Surprisingly, M-21 found that believable.

"He messed with Crow too in a much more personal level." Seri turned to Crow, who was shaking with fear at the mention of Crombel, and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"That…**monster**." Crow murmured.

M-21 caught the fierceness in those two small yet strong words. He looked a little closer and realized that the shaking wasn't from fear as he first assumed but from **rage**.

The look in the usually calm girl's eyes sent chills down his back. Though her sudden aggressiveness put him on an edge, M-21 felt that the pair was telling the truth on where their loyalties lied: Not with Dr. Crombel.

That was enough for now.

Seri looked up. "Any other questions?"

"What are you?"

Seri sighed. "Straight to the point, aren't you?" She sat up and sipped her tea. "Hmm, where to start? You can call me something that's similar to a 'vampire' as you humans call them but not quite."

"You're a Noblesse?"

Seri started in surprise. "Noblesse? You're that much informed? Then telling you what I am should be easy. I'm what you can call a partial Noblesse. I have both human and Noblesse blood in me."

M-21 blinked in surprise. "Is that even possible?"

"Sure it is." Seri said, a bit offended, "_I'm_ here aren't I?" Met with M-21's doubtful expression, Seri let out a long breath. "I guess it's going to be story time, huh? Okay, fine. Once upon a time, there was a Noblesse Lord who was respected by his peers. He stumbled upon a la…place and accidentally saved a beautiful yet scarred woman. He did it out of pride, of course, but found that the woman wouldn't leave his side until the 'debt' was paid."

"Let me guess," Frankenstein interrupted dryly, "The Noblesse Lord fell in love with the beautiful woman."

"Nope!"

Frankenstein didn't show it, but he was faintly surprised at the incongruity of the story. M-21 was also surprised at the unexpected answer and didn't do anything to hide that surprise.

"The Noblesse Lord had a friend and master who loved humans _very much_, you see. He protected them out of pure love, not pride. The Noblesse Lord, having no choice but to bring the woman along because of certain reasons I can't name at the moment, came to meet with his master. The Master, lets call him that from now on, was slightly amused at his pupil's predicament. He was kind to the woman and he teased his friend endlessly. The three eventually became very close traveling companions and friends."

"The Noblesse Lord never expected that his Master would fall in love with the mortal woman." Seri paused at this part of the story. She shared a look with Crow before going on. "They fell in love. They got married. They had a child. But all happy endings had to come to an end. The Master was very old, despite of his young appearance and had to suddenly fall into an eternal sleep, leaving the woman and her child alone."

Seri stopped to take a sip from her teacup.

"Then, the woman got sick and died, leaving the baby alone."

An awkward silence dominated the room. Seri broke the silence with a laugh. "What's with the serious atmosphere? You wanted to know, didn't you M-21? Does that convince you that creatures like me could exist? Some Noblesse genuinely cares for humankind, not based on that stupid 'pride' or whatnot."

"What about the other one who's not here? What is she? Or is she an innocent human that you got involved."

Seri hummed thoughtfully. "A human? You can say that. Innocent? Far from it. The rest is for her to tell you and not me. She'll kill me if I spill too much."

M-21 stiffened at that comment. Did this mean that this cousin of Ik-han was far more powerful than the girl in front of him?

Even Frankenstein raised his brow at this comment.

"…What? Why are you two looking at me like that? Oh, you thought that she was actually going to kill me if I spilled. Nah, more like talk my ear off. I was exaggerating people! You guys can relax now!"

M-21 _didn't _relax but he nodded and then turned to look at Crow. "What about her? What _is_ she?"

A small smile curved in Seri's lips.

"Why so cold, M-21?"

Her tone made him uneasy.

"I thought you would treat your own kind a bit nicer than that M-21. I'm a bit disappointed."

* * *

Was this woman really another Modified Experiment that Crombel made?

"Um…" M-21 began awkwardly before a notebook page came into his view.

_**I'm sorry if I can't carry a proper conversation. I overused my voice yesterday so Min-suh told me to "take it easy" for today. I am sorry for the inconvenience.**_

"Ah…no, it's not a problem." M-21 assured as nicely as he could.

_**Do I scare you, M-21?**_

The question that she wrote caused the ex-experiment to stiffen, confirming the woman's guess.

_**I see. Well, I hope that I can clear some things up by answering some questions myself. Seri tends to make things scarier when she explains things to others.**_

"I…Why are you three here?" M-21 asked.

_**Seri wanted to go to a Korean School and Min-suh was homesick. I was just curious.**_

M-21 sweatdropped at the simple answer that Crow gave him. "You mean there's no other ulterior motive in coming here?"

_**Well, we are being chased by an Organization but I think that's a minor reason compared to the ones I stated before.**_

"And Organization? Which one?"

_**We don't know.**_

M-21 found that highly doubtful. "I thought that Min-suh had the ability to gain _any_ information."

_**If it's placed in some sort of technology, then yes, she has all the information she wants to know. Unfortunately, the Organization is aware of her ability and takes care of not using technology.**_

"Really?" Crow nodded.

_**They don't like how we dig through things for some answers. They like keeping information to themselves. They are especially possessive when we try to take their most guarded secrets.**_

"What are you three looking for?" M-21 asked, his interest reaching its peak. Crow nibbled on her lip and wrote on the paper.

_**Seri and Min-suh's motives are not my place to tell.**_

For some reason, M-21 found that he was disappointed. His interest toward the trio was beginning to pique when Crow revealed so much so openly. He mentally bashed himself for allowing his curiosity get the best of him and for feeling so disappointed. It was a huge thing enough that Crow answered the questions he asked before.

M-21 almost didn't notice that Crow was writing another sentence.

_**But I can tell you mine.**_

M-21's face brightened up considerably after she wrote that, much to Crow's amusement. He seemed to realize how silly his expression looked and tried to cover it up with a cough.

After he regained his composure M-21 nodded as if to say 'go on'.

_**I want to know who I am.**_

It was a simple desire. But, to M-21, her desire seemed to mirror his own. His eyes softened. _Ah_, he thought, _she must be like me._

It wasn't news that she was unaware of her identity. All of Crombel's human experiments had no memory of what they once were before they were experimented on. If this was done purposefully or these were just the side effects, M-21 would never know.

Mary and Jake never wondered about their past lives. The power that they received was enough for them. Who cares what they once were? They definitely didn't.

But the M-series wanted an identity. They _strived_ for one. It was a similar goal in life that kept them going. It was what kept them together as they all dropped like flies, one by one.

Who am I?

Even this person was searching for the answer.

That fact made him feel…less lonely.

"Really? That's a…good goal." M-21 praised hesitantly. Crow accepted his complement with a smile. Well, the mask prevented him from seeing her lips move upwards but her eyes smiled for her.

_**Thank you**_

Their small moment was shattered when Crow jotted something else next to her message.

_**My inability to speak seems to get me into misunderstandings. Do you mind helping me out when that happens?**_

Crow looked a little embarrassed as she held the message up.

"Of course. I would have done so even if you didn't ask." He assured her a little more kindly. She nodded and went back to performing her duty. Crow seemed to be a little more upbeat after their little 'conversation'.

M-21 himself felt a little more relaxed in Crow's presence now. Actually, she seemed to fade away into the background because of her silence. She was like a protective shadow, standing right behind him. The only times when he realized she was there was when she waved kindly back to the students that passed or nod respectfully to a teacher.

Crow seemed a bit gentler with the children. She even helped a fallen toddler get back onto his feet when he tripped in front of the school entrance. She wiped his tears and offered him a candy, which immediately stopped his crying.

When he asked her why she did it, she wrote:

_**Children are precious.**_

M-24's face flashed across M-21's memory for a brief second and then a memory followed after.

"_M-21, I finally went outside today."_

"_Really? How is it? Is the outside really amazing as they say? I'm so jealous. I still need to wait three more months before I can go out."_

"_The ceiling out there is blue. So blue that you can just fall into it. I tried jumping to touch it, but it's just too high. The people out there call it "sky". Sometimes, cotton balls would float in the "sky". Those things are called "clouds"."_

"_Amazing!"_

"…_M-21?"_

"_What is it?"_

"_At my time outside, I learned that children are very precious."_

"_What makes you say that, my friend?"_

"_The people out there are afraid of me. They think that I might hurt them because of my height. They avoid me. The children, though, they were nice. One asked me to play ball. Another gave me this thing called "candy" as a gift. It's some kind of treat that children love eating."_

"_How did it taste?"_

"_Sweet."_

M-24 and Crow looked nothing alike. Yet, this woman gave him the sense of comfort that only M-24 could've given him when he was alive. This woman acted a lot like his friend, aside from his ruthlessness during missions.

Yeah

She did remind him a little of M-24.

* * *

Peace.

It's a wonderful thing that is hard to achieve yet is easily broken.

Crow was currently enjoying the peace she was experiencing with M-21. It was really hard to get him to relax around her, but she managed it. Most of the day went by peacefully, interrupted by small conversations that she shared with her partner through the notebook.

Crow even managed to have a nice conversation with an old man who knew sign language. He was warm and welcoming with her.

This pace in life felt…pleasant.

Crow frowned.

But this kind of peace never lasted long. Not for her.

She sighed when a van came skidding into the school, causing all the leaves that the kind, old man gathered to scatter into the air.

Of course

Time to get back to work.

* * *

(Wipes brow)

Whew! That took a while to do. Hopefully I kept M-21's personality in character. The next chapter will focus more on Seri and Min-suh inside the school.

REVIEW!


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